Rotary folding mechanism.



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L. A. SCHMIDT.

ROTARY FOLDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE13, 1910. RENEWED NOV.16, 1912.

1,1 18,060. Patented N0v.24, 1914.

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THE NORRIS PETERS C0vv PH TO LITHQ. \VASHINGTON, D. c

L. A. SCHMIDT.

ROTARY FOLDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE13,1910. RENEWED N0v.1e, 1912. 1,1 1 8,060.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEBTS-SHBBT 2.

WITNESSES. I INVE INTUR. W 3% 4 W NORRIS PETERS C UNITED STATES PATENT carton.

LOUIS A. SCHMIDT, OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR TO B. HOE AND CO., OF NEW N. 'Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

YORK,

ROTARY FOLDING MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS A. SCHMIDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Folding Mechanisms, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in rotary folding mechanism, and has for its principal object to producean improved construction of rotary folding mechanism employing in connection with the rotary carrier a plurality of continuously rotating folding blades, the construction being of such a character that the folding mechanism may be run at very high speeds without excessive friction or wear of the parts.

With this and other objects not spccifi .cally referred to in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and in certain parts, improvements and combinations as will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically pointed out.

Referring to the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is an end view of a rotary folding cylinder, certain parts being broken away and other parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the end of the cylinder shown in Fig. 1, and also illustrating a portion of the frame in which the cylinder is mounted. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation of the folding mechanism.

In the construction selected to illustrate the invention, 1 indicates a rotary carrier,

the carrier being a folding cylinder of the usual type and being mounted on a shaft 2. This carrier, in the construction shown, comprises one of a pair of cutting cylinders, the companion cutting cylinder not being shown) provided with cutting woods 3 mounted in se mental blocks 4, the construction being the usual one. The carrier is also provided with holding devices, such as pins 5, which may be of the usual type.

Constructions embodying the invention will include a plurality of folding blade shafts, two being shown in the drawings and marked 6. These carry folding blades 7 secured to the shafts in any usual or desired way. These folding blade shafts will he Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 24 1914. Application filed June 13, 1910, Serial No. 566,524.

Renewed November 16, 1912. Serial No. 731,912.

mounted in bearings which are'free to move,

during the operation of the carrier toward 1 sult, inthe construction shown, the carrier has mounted thereon arms, as 8, pivoted on shafts 9 extending across inside the carrier, these arms being provided with bearings in which the folding blade shafts are mounted. It will be understood that there are at least two of these arms for each shaft, although in the drawings only one arm for each shaft is shown.

Constructions embodying the invention will include means for causing the folder blade shafts and their blades to rotate con tinuously around their own axes as the cylinder rotates, and the construction will also be such that these folding blade shafts travel as they rotate in a path which is eccentric to the center of rotation of the cylinder. By properly locating this path of travel with respect to the center of the cvlinder, the operation of the folding blades may be so controlled as to avoid either the excessive protrusion of the blades or, if desired, the protrusion of the blades at all, except'at the fold ng off point. the fold ng off point being indicated in the drawings by rolls 10 between which the blades tuck the sheets from the carrier.

In the, particular construction illustrated, the rotation of the folding blade shafts is effected by provid ng each of the shafts 6 with a' gear, as 11. this gear meshing with the teeth on a circular rack 12. This rack is located, as shown. eccentric to the center of rotation of the cylinder, so that the shafts 6 will travel in a path corresponding'to the contour of the rack, and eccentric to the center of rotation ofvthe cylinder, it being understood. of course, that the arms 8 and their shafts 9 are free to turn to permit this movement of the folding blade shafts.

In the operation of the construction referred to at high speeds. verv considerable centrifugal force is developed which tends to cause the folding blade shafts to move outward, thus producing a binding action and excessive friction between the gears 11v and the rack 12. and also between the shafts and their bearings. Constructions embodving the invention, therefore. should provide means for preventing the objectionable efbushings 18 secured to the shaft.

feet due to the centrifugal force developed when the construction is rotated at high speeds.

In the particular construction illustrated, there is provided a circular bearing surface 13 which corresponds in location with the racl: 12. This bearing surface may be con 'veniently formed of hardened steel. Coopcrating with this bearing surface, in the particular construction shown, are two disks 14, one mounted on each of the shafts 6, these disks and the surface being so proportioned as to permit the proper meshing between the gears 11 and. the rack without, however, permitting such contact between these parts as to produce binding and excessive wear. This construction will also, as will be readily understood, prevent any binding of theshafts in the bearings, as the centrifugal force developed when the carrier is run at high speeds is substantially absorbed by the disks and bearing surface.

When the invention is embodied in a construction such as has been described, means should be provided for preventing an undue inward movement of the shafts. When, for instance, the shafts, as in the construction described, are mounted in arms which are free to move toward and away from the center of the cylinder, it is obvious that when the machine is stopped thearms might, unless their motion is restricted, drop toward the center of the cylinder so far as to cause the gears to be out of mesh withthe teeth of the rack. In order to control the inward movement of the folding blade shafts, there is provided, in the construction shown, a guard disk 15 eccentrically mounted withrespectto the center of rotation of the cylinder, the disk being secured to the frame by means of bolts 16, or in any other desired manner. The shafts 6 are also provided with rollers 17 mounted on These rollers 17 and the disk 15 are so proportioned as not to allow any undue inward movement of the shafts toward the center of the cylinder when the machine is stopped or running very slowly.

If desired, the bearing surface 13 may be located in a recess, as shown, in the rack 12 and this rack may be secured to the frame by bolts 19, or in any other suitable manner.

The operation of the construction will be clearly understood from the diagrams, Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. In Fig. 3, one of the folding blades is shown as having tucked a sheet between the rolls 10 and completed ,a partial revolution away from the rolls, the

other blade being shown in the relative position it occupies at this time. In Figs. a and 5 the blades are shown still further advanced, and in Fig. 6, the blade which has tucked the sheet between the rolls is shown as having completed a full revolution. lit

will be noted that because of the construction of the parts and the location of the rack eccentric to the path of the'center of rotation of the cylinder, the blade, although in the position it occupies when it would other ise be protruded from the cylinder, lies entirely within the circumference of the cylinder. By thus constructing the parts so as to retain the blades entirely within the cylinder except at the tucking 01f point, there is no liability of pushing oil" or interfering with the sheets on the surface of the cylinder, thus enabling a more direct web lead to the cylinder to be employed than is usual with folding mechanisms of this type.

Changes and variations may be made in the construction by which the invention is carried into effect. The invention claimed, therefore, is not to be confined to the particular construction herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In a rotary folding mechanism, the combination with a rotary carrier, of a plurality of continuously rotating blade shafts, folding blades on the shafts, bearings for the shafts located in the interior of the carrier and freely movable toward and away from the center of the carrier, means for causing the shafts to travel in a circular path which is eccentric to the circumference of the carrier, and means independent of the shaft bearings for controlling the outward movement of the shafts due to the centrifugal force developed in the rotation of the carrier.

2. In a rotary folding mechanism, the combination with a rotary carrier, of a plurality of blade shafts, blades on the shafts, bearings for the shafts located in the interior of the carrier and freely movable toward and away from the center of the carrier, gears on the shafts, a circular rack located eccentrically to the center of rotation of the carrier, and means independent of the shaft bearin s for controlling the outward movement or the shafts due to the centrifugal force developed by the rotation of the carrier.

3. In a rotary folding mechanism, the combination with a rotary carrier, of a plurality of blade shafts, folding blades on the shafts, arms pivoted in the interior of the carrier said. arms having bearings in which the blade shafts are mounted, gears on the blade shafts, a circular rack mountedeccentrically with respect to the center of rotation of the carrier, and means independent of the shaft bearings for controlling the outward movement of the shafts due to the centrifugal force developed by the rotation of the carrier.

4;. In a rotary folding mechanism, the combination with a rotary carrier, of a plurality of blade shafts, folding blades on the shafts, arms pivoted in the interior of the carrier said arms being provided with bearings for the blade shafts, gears on the shafts, a circular rack eccentrically mounted with respect to the center of rotation of the carrier, a circular bearing surface corresponding in position with the position of the rack, and bearer disks mounted on the blade shafts.

5. In a rotary folding mechanism, the combination with a rotary carrier, of a plurality of blade shafts, folding blades on the shafts, arms pivoted in the interior of the carrier and provided with bearings for the blade shafts, a circular rack located eccentrically with respect to the center of rotation of the carrier, gears on the shafts meshing with the rack, a circular bearing surface corresponding in position with the position of the rack, bearer disks mounted on the blade shafts, and a circular guard disk eccentrically moimted with respect to the center of rotation of the carrier and serving to control the inward movement of the arms, and rollers on the arms cooperating with the disks.

6. In a rotary folding mechanism, the combination with a rotary carrier, of arms pivoted in the interior thereof and free to move outward under the action of centrifugal force, bearings in the arms, blade shafts located in the bearings, folding blades mounted on the shafts, means for efiecting a continuous rotation of the blade shafts, and means for controlling the inward and outward movement of the arms.

7. In a rotary folding mechanism, the combination with a rotary carrier, of a plurality of arms pivoted in the interior of the carrier, bearings in the arms, blade shafts moimted in the bearings, folding blades on the shafts, gears on the shafts, a rack eccentrically mounted with respect to the center of rotation of the carrier with which the gears mesh, and means independent of the shaft bearings for controlling the inward and outward movement of the shafts due'to the centrifugal force developed in the rotation of the carrier,

8. In a rotary folding mechanism, the combination with a rotary carrier, of a plurality of arms pivoted in the interior of the carrier, bearings on the arms, blade shafts mounted in the bearings, folding blades on the shafts, gears on the shafts, a rack eccentrically mounted with respect to the center of rotation of the carrier with which the gears mesh, and means acting directly on the shafts and independently of the bearings therefor for controlling the inward and outward movement of the shafts due to the centrifugal force developed in the rotation of the carrier.

9. A mechanism of the character described having a rotary carrier, a plurality of blade shafts mounted upon the carrier and supported for movement toward and from the periphery of the carrier during rotation thereof, folding blades upon the shafts, gears on the shafts, an internal gear eccen trically mounted with respect to the center of rotation of the carrier and meshing with the gears on the blade shafts, a bearing surface corresponding in conformation and position with said internal gear, and bearer disks mounted on the blade shafts and traveling upon said bearing surface.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS A. SCHMIDT.

Witnesses:

RICHARD KELLY, WILLARD E. MASON.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner o1 Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

